1. Field Of The Invention
This invention relates to a buffer or dampening arrangement for functioning as a vehicle shock absorber or strut that tends to return to a null attitude when a biasing force is removed therefrom.
2. Prior Art
Heretofore where a vehicle suspension system has been required to support or carry additional or extra weight as when that vehicle is connected to tow a camper, trailer, or like, it has been common to provide a shock absorber for that suspension system that includes a coil spring or like arrangement for acting against that increased load. Such coil spring additions have generally involved telescoping the coil spring around a gas charged or hydraulic shock support between the shock ends to provide a spring loading that is in addition to the gas or hydraulic resistance provided by the shock absorber. Some examples of such spring augmentation of damper systems are shown in patents by R. G. Altherr, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,220,717, and by J. W. Wells, U.S. Pat. No. 3,503,601. Additionally such spring augmentation is shown in an old patent by G. H. Chatillon, U.S. Pat. No. 505,092. These patents all show examples of use of a coil spring to augment the carrying capacity of a shock absorber type device. Additionally, for a dynameter, a patent by S. A. Tell, U.S. Pat. No. 3,372,581, shows a use of a coil spring for resisting longitudinal displacement. The Tell spring arrangement also involves a mechanism for adjusting the spring tension. These devices, unlike the present invention, all provide spring arrangements for resisting a load applied to the shock absorber in one direction only. The present invention, with the single spring arrangement, provides a resistance against both compressive and lifting forces as occur when a vehicle supported by such shock absorber is osculated. Distinct therefrom, the present invention utilizing only a single coil spring assembly that tends to hold the vehicle wheel assembly to the frame, functioning similarly to a conventional sway bar assembly to maintain the vehicle unsprung weight and quickly dampen an osculating force applied against that shock absorber.
Finally, a patent by G. E. Kontis, U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,510, shows a single spring arrangement for dampening forces applied to a buffer shock absorber assembly. This device, however, does not involve, as does the present invention, a spring mounting configuration of finger members that extend between spring supports, the finger members to interact with slots formed in telescoped shock absorber sleeves. Rather, the Kontis patent shows an arrangement of interdigited fingers of telescoped sleeves that are functionally and mechanically unlike the present invention.